Laying down what was another heavyweight title marker on Sunday afternoon, Arsenal cruised their way to north London bragging rights as they secured a thumping 4-1 victory at home against arch-rivals Tottenham.

Widening their buffer at the top of the Premier League table to six points, the Gunners eventually took the lead on the 36th-minute as Belgium international Leandro Trossard swept home and completed a smart move.

However, producing a classy finish just minutes before the half-time break, it was certainly summer recruit Eberechi Eze who stole all of the headlines here.

Producing what was a monumental individual performance and underlining why Mikel Arteta was desperate to get the England international through the doors over the summer, Eze wrapped up his first senior hat-trick by the 76th-minute.

Setting the Emirates alight and putting Spurs to the sword on either side of the interval, the former Crystal Palace playmaker has fired Arsenal to a six-point advantage over the chasing pack.

As for Tottenham, while Richarlison might have handed Sunday’s travelling support just a fleeting moment of joy as the Brazilian marksman produced a sensational 40-yard lobbed effort that left David Raya stranded, it was an abject afternoon for Spurs.

Blown away under the bright lights and bracing themselves for a fiery backlash from their support, Tottenham have now recorded just a pair of wins from any of their last eight appearances across all competitions.

On an afternoon when Arsenal only further underlined their title credentials, we have taken a look at the key talking points from the Emirates.

Arsenal are cruising their way to an iconic Premier League crown

While Arsenal might have finished the 2024/25 campaign without a single piece of silverware to show for their troubles as they had to settle for another silver medal finish among England’s elite, the Gunners are rightfully installed as a landslide title contender this time around.

Breezing their way to north London bragging rights on Sunday afternoon and laying down another statement of intent, the Gunners look like they could cruise their way to a first domestic crown since way back in 2004.

Embarking on what has become a sensational purple patch on either side of November’s international break, Arteta’s high-flying squad now hold a commanding six-point buffer at the top of the table.

Now winning all of their previous four consecutive Premier League showdowns against their arch-rivals, Sunday’s hosts have rightfully gained a fearsome reputation from across the continent.

Turning their attention back to Champions League action on Wednesday night when they welcome German giants Bayern Munich to the Emirates, Arsenal could have their sights set on completing a famous silverware sweep this season.

Pressure mounting on Frank’s shoulders?

While Tottenham might have enjoyed a bright start to proceedings following Thomas Frank’s arrival in north London over the summer, Spurs have come crashing back down to earth in a worrying fashion.

Completely blown away at the Emirates here and now recording just a single Premier League victory against Arsenal since back in December 2020, Spurs have the feel of a squad who are searching for a much-welcomed boost.

Tumbling down the Premier League standings and finishing the weekend fixtures sat down in ninth-place, it has been suggested that the former Brentford boss could already find some increasing pressure on his shoulders in the white half of north London.

Suffering last-gasp heartbreak at home against historic foes Manchester United prior to November’s international break as they eventually had to settle for a 2-2 stalemate on home soil, Tottenham have mustered just a pair of wins from any of their previous eight appearances across all competitions.

Showing some extended defensive issues, Spurs face what is another monumental challenge on Wednesday when they travel to reigning European champions PSG.

Eze brightest up north London

All set to sign a long-term contact with Spurs over the summer just hours before Arsenal made their intentions clear, it was almost written in the stars that Eze would steal all of the headlines on Sunday afternoon.

Publicly rejecting a move to Tottenham and instead joining Arteta’s title contenders for a reported fee in the region of £68million, the former Crystal Palace playmaker has certainly made an immediate impact since moving across the capital.

Bagging a first Premier League hat-trick and causing Spurs’ leaky defence a string of issues, the England international has suddenly become a pivotal role in Arteta’s attack.

Putting in a Man of the Match performance on Sunday afternoon and really lighting up north London, the 27-year-old has now registered seven direct goal contributions in his last nine appearances for club and country.

Expected to play a leading role for Thomas Tuchel’s squad over in North America next summer, Eze has only further added to his reputation since arriving at the Emirates and finds his stock at a red-hot high.

Match Report

Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Merino

Subs: Madueke, Masquera, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly

Tottenham: Vicario, Danso, Romero, van de Ven, Spence, Udogie, Bentancur, Palhinha, Kudus, Odobert, Richarlison

Subs: Johnson, Kolo Muani, Porro, Simons, Sarr

Goals: Arsenal: Trossard (36’), Eze (41’, 46’, 76’) – Tottenham: Richarlison (55’)

Yellow Cards: Arsenal: Rice – Tottenham: Romero, Porro, Bentancur

Red Cards: N/A

Referee: Michael Oliver